"I was dehydrated because of all the sugar," he said, "and I was thirsty and drinking Powerade, which has sugar."

According to Powerade, the drink has 14 grams of sugar and 0 grams of protein in every eight-ounce serving. Byrne, like many of his high school teammates, drank a lot of the sports drink.

Today, Byrne is working to replace the departed Garrett Graham at tight end with UW's No. 1 offense and take pressure off senior H-back Lance Kendricks.

"I feel I can be the guy who can go in there and help Lance out," Byrne said. "I think we can complement each other."

Byrne is listed at 6 foot 4, 251 pounds, but his weight is up to 256 pounds. The latter figure is an increase of 11 pounds from last season.

He improved his eating habits over the off-season and was more productive in the weight room.

"I just sat down and thought about all the things that have affected me," Byrne said. "So I tried to get a healthier diet with more protein and more complex carbs.

"I changed my diet and worked hard in the weight room to become stronger."

His old diet included standard American fare.

"I was always a huge fan of cheeseburgers and french fries," he said, smiling. "There is a place on State St. called the Fat Sandwich Company. Love it.

"But I try to cut those things out and do more grilled chicken breast and vegetables. Trying to cook for myself was a little challenging, but once I got the hang of it, I felt better.

"So it was definitely worth it."

Tight ends coach Joe Rudolph challenged all the players in his unit to hit the 400-pound mark on the bench press and the 500-pound mark in the squat.

Byrne hit 385 on the bench and 505 on the squat. His previous high marks had been 350 and 435, respectively.

"His confidence level is much, much higher, and that allows you to play faster," Rudolph said. "I think he has gotten stronger physically. He is a physical player, a good football player."

Byrne has a constant companion during practice and games - an insulin pump taped onto his back and covered by protective padding.

"We custom-made a back plate and stuck it in there," said Byrne, who likened the pump to being hooked up to an IV. "I take insulin any time I eat anything with sugar.

"I check my blood sugar - during a regular day with no practice probably six times - and with practice it could be 10 or 12 times. It's just kind of how I feel."

Rudolph, who was a graduate assistant at Ohio State and the tight ends coach at Nebraska before coming to UW in 2008, has experience coaching players with diabetes.

"Our medical staff has done a great job with Jake, and he has done a great job learning how to handle everything," Rudolph said. "You just coach him, and you trust they'll let you know when they're not feeling right.

"He has got a pretty good feel about his (condition), and he's pretty honest with the medical staff."